Sarkisian’s $186,000 ‘Rejuvenation Treatment’ In South Korea

A screenshot from the website of the South Korean newspaper “Chosun Ilbo”

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—President Serzh Sarkisian has undergone stem cell therapy in South Korea aimed at rejuvenating his body, a Korean newspaper revealed on Friday.

The daily “Chosun Ilbo” reported that Sarkisian became this month the first foreign head of state to receive treatment at Chaum Center, a rejuvenation clinic located in the city of Gangnam. A photograph published by it showed him seated in a medical armchair and surrounded by South Korean doctors, his chief bodyguard and Ara Abrahamian, a Russian-Armenian businessman.

“The group visited Chaum every day during their weeklong stay here and had treatment including stem cell therapy, spa and anti-aging therapy, body polishes and massages and weight-control programs,” wrote the paper. It said the treatment which lasted from January 9-17 cost around $186,000, a sum exceeding Sarkisian’s annual salary.

The Armenian president’s press office did not immediately comment on the revelation.

That Sarkisian has had stem cell therapy was first suggested last week by the Yerevan newspaper “Haykakan Zhamanak,” which quoted unnamed sources close to the Armenian government. Sarkisian press secretary, Arman Saghatelian, dismissed this as “ludicrous gossips” in comments to A1Plus.am on Tuesday.

Saghatelian also shrugged off suggestions that the Armenian leader may have health problems. The spokesman for ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), Eduard Sharmazanov, likewise insisted on Friday that Sarkisian is “very healthy.”

Sarkisian officially went on vacation on January 7. The presidential administration said at the time that he will spend it in an unspecified foreign state. It gave no details.

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This was only the costs for “one week Rejuvenation Treatment” not other expending for flight etc included…. And the new year is not even one month old !
If every government and church member is spending even 20 % of $186,000 sum , no wonder that people still have no home and work after 20 years of earthquake !

Serzh Sarkisian is among the most corrupt government a nation could have. He truly is very corrupt. Stealing all the money from the Armenians in Armenia and using it for his own benefit. He should give this money he used for this treatment back to Armenians in Armenia.

I, often had been told that, Armenian medical professionals were the best in the world. I had also heard that some of them, owned their private hospitals (pre owned by the people of Armenia). Mr. Sarkissian’s decision to travel to a foreign country to get rejuvenated, of course, disappointed me. However, the silver lining in this whole episode could be that, now, new hospitals could be built and then passed on to other worthy people to further improve the health care system in Armenia.

Once and for all let us accept that for the last 20 years we had 3 presidents with no morality. The first one almost gave Karabagh back and introduced us to the second one. The second one within a very short time was able to become very very rich in a poor country like Armenia. Now, the third one is not only immoral but has shown us how uncivilized he is. If in the Diaspora we want to have any positive contribution for the future of Armenia let us stop beating around the bush, accept those facts, cut our relationship with the Armenian Government to a minimum, and start supporting those groups and individuals who have a long track record of being true Armenian patriots. I am thinking of people that are presently involved in preparliament.com. There may be others. Let us find them and support them with all of our resources. Tomorrow will be too late and we will not have anyone to blame but us.